NEWS & ANALYSIS

'ANC should recount votes', demands Limpopo faction's attorney

News24 |

20 December 2017

Dexter Selepe invited to a meeting with ANC at Luthuli House later this week

'ANC should recount votes', demands Limpopo faction's attorney

Johannesburg – The attorney representing ANC delegates from Limpopo, who form part of the mysterious missing votes contingent, says the party has until the end of the conference to respond to their letter of demand.

Attorney Dexter Selepe told News24: "Their lawyer came back to us and asked us to give them more time."

They gave the ANC until the end of conference to respond.

The group of supporters from Limpopo have initiated legal proceedings against the ANC.

"This is not an urgent matter, but people just want to know what is happening. If they don't give us what we want, then our clients will tell us what is the next step.

"The ball is in their court and all that we are asking for is to do the right thing and recount. If they are saying they have 4 776 delegates, surely show us that," Selepe said.

The group has been in marathon conference steering committee meetings over 60 plus votes that were quarantined and not included in the final results outcome.

They wanted the votes included, with the hope that former KwaZulu-Natal premier and provincial chair Senzo Mchunu will overturn Free State premier Ace Magashule’s secretary general victory.

Magashule beat former Mchunu by 24 votes.

A source, who did not want to be identified, noted that only 28 votes were credible out of the 60 plus votes that were set aside.

He said they had no guarantees that they would sway the outcome in Mchunu’s favour.

But Selepe said: "Why is the [60 odd] not taken into consideration?"

"Our instructions from our clients is that we want our votes to be counted as it is in the constitution of the ANC - that every vote counts," Selepe continued.

"Why are they scared to add the [60 odd] votes? What are they scared of?"

His supporters have lodged a complaint with the party's steering committee, overseeing the conference.

The camp of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has decided to drop its challenge to have disputed votes included in the final tally for the all-powerful position of the secretary general of the party. News24

Update:

Missing voters invited to meeting at Luthuli House

Johannesburg - The attorney representing ANC delegates from Limpopo, who form part of the mysterious missing 60 plus voters, has been invited to a meeting at Luthuli House with the party later this week.

"They have responded and called for a meeting. We are preparing to meet them and talk about this issue and to find a solution to this problem," attorney Dexter Selepe told News24 on Wednesday evening.

Earlier on Wednesday, they gave the ANC until the end of the conference to respond.

The group of supporters from Limpopo have initiated legal proceedings against the ANC.

They wanted the votes included, with the hope that former KwaZulu-Natal premier and provincial chair Senzo Mchunu would overturn Free State premier Ace Magashule’s secretary general victory.

Magashule beat Mchunu by 24 votes.

Dexter said the party told them that the meeting would take place on Thursday or Friday.

"We are waiting for our clients to come out of plenary and we will then consult with the ANC on the times which [are] suitable."